PED planning changes to education plan

Low-performing schools identified in Questa, Socorro

Two more schools in the state were identified as in need of “more rigourous intervention,” a label for schools with an F school grade that haven’t shown progress after four years. But the system for improving low-performing schools is expected to change in the coming months as the Public Education Department is planning on revising the state’s current education plan and rerequesting federal approval.

The PED, while it was still under the Susana Martinez administration, announced R. Sarracino Middle School in the Socorro Independent School District and Questa Junior High School in the Questa Independent School District both got a fifth F grade in a row and are now considered MRI schools as a result.

The grades are based on 2017-18 school year data.

The state’s current federally approved education plan outlines four intervention strategies for MRI schools including closure, reopening the institution as a charter, advertising and facilitating transfers to higher-rated schools, or redesigning and relaunching the school.

The district decides which strategy it will use to turn the school around.

However, the MRI process could look different in the coming months.

Lt. Gov. Howie Morales, who is currently overseeing PED, said the department is working on resubmitting the state’s education plan to the U.S. Department of Education by March.

Morales said he wants to shift what he perceives as punitive language around low-performing schools and instead create policy that allows for schools to identify what they need from the state to improve.

In its early stages, Morales described a process in which schools are identified as needing assistance and the schools and district communicate what’s lacking. But it’s unclear what would be used to identify low-performing schools.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has already ordered a halt to the use of the state’s current standardized test, PARCC, through an executive order. On the campaign trail, she also said she wants to replace the A-F school grading system.

“I don’t think the way it’s in place right now is a fair way to address which schools need intervention,” Morales said, referring to the current school grade and MRI systems.

In the meantime, he said he will be asking R. Sarracino Middle School and Questa Junior High School what resources they need.

“How can we be there to serve rather than ask, ‘Is it time to shut the doors?’” he said.

In 2017, four other schools were labeled MRI schools by PED: Hawthorne, Whittier and Los Padillas elementaries within Albuquerque Public Schools and Dulce Elementary in

Dulce Public Schools.

Those schools earned five or six consecutive F grades.

The MRI process was a tumultuous back and forth for those elementaries. PED denied all of the initial improvement plans of the schools, months of negotiating and finalizing conditions ensued and, in the case of Hawthorne, legal steps were taken to challenge the PED on allegations that it was overstepping its authority.

In the most recent round of school grades, Los Padillas and Hawthorne got C grades, while Dulce and Whittier got another consecutive F.

Each school is one F grade away from closure if they do not improve in the 201819 school year, per improvement plans in place at the school at present.

Morales said he didn’t yet know what would happen at these schools under a new MRI plan but said he is exploring what options PED has.

Under Martinez, PED had been criticized for using school grades as the determining factor on whether a school stays open. The grades are primarily grounded on student growth measured via PARCC.